Troubled Ties
by cuz-CM's-awesome
Summary: Penelope's in for a shock when she meets someone from her past. Her fun Friday night off turns into trouble she never would have expected.


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and I'm not making any profit off this story. **

**Summary: Penelope's in for a shock when she meets someone from her past. Her fun Friday night off turns into trouble she never would have expected. **

**Warning: Character Death **

…

It was six o'clock on Friday and for once the BAU team members were finishing up work at a reasonable hour. They planned on heading to their favorite watering hole that evening after they all had finished their reports.

JJ and Penelope were the first ones ready to leave and decided to head over to the bar first so they could save seats for the team.

As they exited the FBI building into the warm summer evening Penelope sighed, it had been a long week.

JJ laughed, "Yeah, I feel about the same way."

Penelope shook her head "I love working my magic up in my lair like the Goddess I am but sometimes I can't help but wonder if it will ever end, you know?"

JJ nodded "Yep, one case after another, it does seem like it's never going to end. But then on nights like tonight, when we can go and have a drink and I can look forward to going home to Will and Henry, I'm content knowing that at least we're making a difference."

Penelope gave JJ a small smile "You're right," she said "I need to stop thinking about the negative and just go and have fun tonight. Plus I have brunch with Sam to look forward to tomorrow."

JJ looked over at her now beaming best friend and couldn't help but smile "So," she asked her brow arching "things are getting serious with him?"

Penelope's eyes shone with excitement "You have no id..."

"Penelope!"

Penelope frowned, cut off mid-sentence, she turned around towards the voice, they were only a few feet away from the FBI building.

A man with shaggy blonde hair was waving at her as he walked slowly towards them. Penelope brow wrinkled, the man looked familiar but she couldn't quite place him.

He obviously knew who she was though, he was grinning widely, his blue eyes bright with recognition.

JJ's hand landed on her arm, her other instinctively going for her gun "Do you know that guy?"

Penelope was about to shake her head but then when he was close enough for her to see the shinning gold cap on his front right incisor, it all clicked. Penelope gaped, displeasure overwhelming her as the man came to a stop about two feet away from her.

"Penny!" he said, grinning from ear to ear "I was worried I was gonna miss you."

Penelope took a step forward, her eyes narrowing "What are you doing here?" she asked through gritted teeth.

His face fell slightly "Aw, is that anyway to speak to your old man?"

Penelope heard a gasp from behind her and JJ's startled "Old man?"

Her fists clenched in anger, she had successfully kept her biological father secret from her team for the last ten years. Normally whenever anyone asked about her parents, Penelope always referred to her mom and step-dad. The one time Derek had asked her about her biological father, she had said that she had been too young to remember much of him when her parents had split up. That had seemed to be enough for Derek but it wasn't the truth.

She had been eight when her and her mom finally left her dad, and the reason they had left was because her father had been a scary man. He used to take out his anger on her mom. Beating her senseless if he had a bad day.

It wasn't until Penelope had turned seven that he started to hit her too. When her mother had found out a year later, she had been in tears, crying into Penelope's shoulder as she hugged her tight. She swore that she wouldn't let him hurt her anymore and then they spent months planning their escape. Without any resources or saved money, it had been tough but they finally left and Penelope knew then and there when her mother took her hand and led her out of the house that they were making the best decision of their lives.

It wasn't that Penelope didn't trust her friends enough to tell them about her past but she didn't want them to think of her any differently. She didn't want them to pity her like so many people do when they find out about her past. She knew the team was likely to be different but she didn't want to chance it.

However now the cat was out of the bag, she had no doubt that JJ would quiz her about it later.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" her father asked, looking past her at JJ.

"No," Penelope said harshly.

"Penny Bear," he said using her nickname from when she was little "don't be like that."

Penelope pointed her finger at his chest "Don't you dare call me that," she spat, her voice getting very quiet "you lost every right to call me that the first time you laid your hands on me."

Her father looked saddened, "Listen, I know I made mistakes, I shouldn't have hurt you the way I did. I'm really sorry but I want to make amends, I want us to be a family again."

Penelope's face showed her immense disgust. "Never," Penelope said glaring at him "you don't deserve my forgiveness, you're a sad excuse for a father and nothing you can say will change my mind."

His face hardened "Penelope, I know you can't believe those things. No doubt your mother filled your head with bald faced lies, I was a good father when you were younger, your mother was always a lair. Don't you remember the good times we had?"

Penelope was seething "Don't you dare talk to me about Mom. She was the only good thing about my first eight years. I don't remember the 'good times' but I do remember you grabbing me by the shoulders and throwing me down the stairs."

He paled at her admission and started shifting around uncomfortably realizing that the warm embrace he had hoped for was not going to happen.

"I think you should go," JJ said, coming up beside Penelope.

He glared at her "This ain't any of your business."

Penelope nodded, "There he is, there's the father I remember."

He practically growled, becoming desperate. "Penelope," he said one last time pleadingly "look I'm in trouble, I need some money."

Penelope shook her head knowingly as the truth came out "Of course you are, what is it this time? Another gamboling debt or have you finally borrowed money from the wrong person?"

"Penelope!" he hissed reaching for her but missing as she stepped back "this isn't funny."

"Oh believe me, I don't think this is humorous, I think it's sad. You're a sad, sad man and you'd have to be mental to think that I would help you."

Penelope turned around but didn't get far "I brought you into this world!" he screamed "Doesn't that count for anything?!"

"Yeah," Penelope said her voice now raised "and you almost took me out of it a few times too, so I think we're even."

She nodded at JJ as she began walking away, hoping that the other woman would give her a few minutes to calm down before asking any questions.

However before JJ could even open her mouth to ask if Penelope was okay, they heard a click that caused chills to run down Penelope's spine. A woman near them screamed and JJ's hand flew to her gun but it was too late. The sound of the gun shot echoed in Penelope's ears just before a second one followed the first.

Penelope felt pain explode through her back and she cried out in pain. Her brain felt fuzzy as she heard one last shot and then she was falling forward with blood dripping from her nose.

A hand caught her shoulder, slowing her fall to the ground. She could hear a commotion behind her as well as people yelling all around her.

She was in so much pain she could barely breathe. She laid on the ground, her cheek pressed against the cool cement watching people run by her as she tried to come to terms with what had just happened.

Then JJ was beside her again, kneeling down beside her, her face pale as a ghost and eyes wide with shock. When she spoke her voice was muffled in Penelope's ears, she could only just make out what her best friend was saying "Hang in there Penelope, help is on the way!"

Penelope heard scuffling on her other side and started to panic when she realized she couldn't move, her eyes went wide and all the sudden she was screaming. Painful, terrified screams that pierced the ears of everyone around her.

She saw JJ reach out to touch her hand but couldn't feel it. Tears streamed down Penelope's face when she heard more people running over to her.

"Baby Girl," she heard Derek terrified voice "Oh my god, Baby...no." He dropped down beside JJ, his eyes becoming level with Penelope who was still screaming. "Shhh," he whispered his own tear rolling down his cheeks "hush Baby Girl, we're here."

He placed his hand gently on her cheek, rubbing it softly and Penelope calmed down a bit, being able to feel the comforting touch.

"We're gonna get you help," Derek whispered.

She wanted to believe him but she knew it wasn't true. She was starting to feel cold as more blood dripped from her nose onto the pavement."

She heard the rest of the team, her family, in the background speaking to her softly. She closed her eyes, unable to hold them open any longer.

"No Penelope," Derek said "keep your eyes open...stay with us." She felt him lean over her and wetness dripped onto her cheek, she could only guess it was his tears. He pressed his shaking lips to her forehead before letting out a choked sob.

"I love you Baby Girl," he whispered before her breath stopped. One minute she felt only pain, fear, sadness and anger, the next there was nothing at all.


End file.
